The Smurfs (2021 Nickelodeon TV series)
The Smurfs is an American-French-Belgian animated fantasy-comedy children's television series that aired on Nickelodeon, which premiered September 12, 2021. Produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Studio Peyo, it is based on the Belgian comic series The Smurfs and Johan and Peewit, both created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo (both his son and daughter Theirry and Veronique Culliford served as story supervisors of the series). Premise ''The Smurfs'' The Smurfs are little blue creatures that live in mushroom houses in a forest inhabited mainly by their own kind. The Smurfs' average daily routine is attempting to avoid Gargamel, an evil yet dimwitted and annoying sorcerer who plans to capture the Smurfs to steal all of their essence and become the most powerful sorcerer in the world. ''Johan and Peewit'' Set in the Middle Ages in an unnamed European kingdom, the series follows the adventures of Johan, a brave young page to the King, and Peewit, his faithful, if boastful and cheating, midget sidekick. Johan rides off in search of adventure with his trusty horse Bayard, while Peewit gallops sporadically, and grudgingly, behind on his goat, Biquette. The pair are driven by duty to their King and the courage to defend the underpowered. Struggles for power between deposed lords and usurping villains form the basis of many of the plots which also contain elements of detective fiction as the pair hunt down traitors and outlaws, as well as witches, sorcerers, giants and ghosts. Episodes See List of episodes Voice cast English voices *Scott Innes - Papa Smurf, Dreamy Smurf *Billy West - Brainy Smurf, Sinatra-ster, Additional Voices *Jeff Bennett - Clumsy Smurf, Painter Smurf, Additional Voices *April Stewart - Smurfette, Additional Voices *Michael Bell - Handy Smurf, Lazy Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, Additional Voices *Frank Welker - Hefty Smurf, Poet Smurf, Dabbler Smurf, Azrael the Cat, Additional Voices *Dee Bradley Baker - Greedy Smurf, Harmony Smurf, Monty the Vulture, Additional Voices *Nancy Cartwright - Jokey Smurf, Additional Voices *Alan Cumming - Gutsy Smurf *Jim Meskimen - Vanity Smurf *Tom Kenny - Tailor Smurf, Additional Voices *Tom Kane - the Narrator *Roger Craig Smith - King Gerard *James Arnold Taylor - Nosey Smurf *Mitchel Musso - Johan *Keith Ferguson - Peewit *Grey DeLisle - Princess Savina, Additional Voices *John Kassir - Miner Smurf, Additional Voices *Adam Wylie - Scaredy Smurf *Candi Milo - Mother Nature, Additional Voices *Tara Strong *Eric Bauza *Cheryl Chase - Additional Voices *Brenda Vaccaro - Scruple *Tress MacNeille - Dame Barbara *Kathleen Barr - Hogatha *Rob Paulsen - Marco Smurf *Jess Harnell - The Good King *Jeff Bergman - Father Time *Hank Azaria - Gargamel *Jim Cummings - Lord Balthazar French voices * Gérard Hernandez - Papa Smurf, Painter Smurf * Charles Pestel - Johan * Stéphane Marais - Peewit * Laëtitia Milot - Smurfette * Valentin Merlet - Hefty Smurf * Arié Elmaleh - Clumsy Smurf * Sébastien Desjours - Brainy Smurf * Laurent Maurel - Gargamel * Serge Biavan - Grouchy Smurf * Jérémy Prévost - Jokey Smurf * Xavier Fagnon - Farmer Smurf * Catherine Cipan - Princess Savina * Barbara Tissier - Mother Nature * Benjamin Boyer * Lila Lacombe * Louise Emma Morel * Elsa Esnoult * Cindy Lemineur * Camille Timmerman * Emmylou Homs * Barbara Beretta * Mery Lanzafame * Victoria Grosbois * Danièle Douet * Adrien Larmande - Nosey Smurf Crew *'Executive Producers and Story Supervisors:' Theirry and Veronique Culliford *'Producers:' Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone *'Directors (''The Smurfs):' Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone, Charles Visser, Michael Gerard, Audu Paden, Rich Moore, Mauro Casalese and Kelly Asbury *'Directors (Johan and Peewit):' Bob Camp, Bill Wray, Dave Feiss, Kent Butterworth, Eddie Fitzgerald, Ken Bruce, Peter Avanzino and Vincent Waller *'Writers (The Smurfs):' Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone, Glenn Leopold, Kevin Hopps, Gordon Bressack, Charles M. Howell IV, Duane Poole and Tom Swale *'Writers (Johan and Peewit):' Bob Camp, Vincent Waller, Richard Pursel, Jim Smith, Dave Feiss, Lynne Naylor, Chris Reccardi, Michael Kim, Peter Avanzino and Stephen DeStefano (season 1), Rob Renzetti, Amy Keating Rogers, Kevin Kaliher, Chris Savino, Seth MacFarlane and Kelly Asbury. *'Storyboard Artists (The Smurfs):' Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone, Tom Bancroft, Keith Tucker, Rich Moore, Kelly Asbury, Dave Alvarez, Jon McClenahan, Alan Gibson, Sean Bishop, Neal Sternecky and Mitch Schauer *'Storyboard Artists (Johan and Peewit):' Bob Camp, Vincent Waller, Jim Smith, Eddie Fitzgerald, Lynne Naylor, Peter Avanzino, Michael Kim, Chris Reccardi, Stephen DeStefano, Dave Feiss, Joe Sibilski and 'Pat' Ventura (season 1), Rob Renzetti, Clayton Morrow, Alex Kirwin, Kevin Kaliher, Chris Savino, Mike Kim and Butch Hartman (season 2) *'Based on:' Characters created by Peyo *'Character Layout Supervisor (The Smurfs):' Dave Alvarez *'Character Layout Supervisor (Johan and Peewit):' Chris Reccardi (season 1), Rob Renzetti (season 2) *'Character Layout Artists (The Smurfs):' Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone, Bob Singer, Scott Shaw, Kelly Asbury, Mauro Casalese and Dave Alvarez *'Character Layout Artists (Johan and Peewit):' Bob Camp, Vincent Waller, Jim Smith, Lynne Naylor, Chris Reccardi, Michael Kim, Bill Wray, Joe Sibilski, Dave Feiss and Eddie Fitzgerald (season 1) *'Background Layout Artists:' Bob Singer, Scott Shaw and Dave Alvarez *'Background Painter (The Smurfs):' Craig Simmons *'Background Painters (Johan and Peewit): Bill Wray and Scott Wills (season 1), Martin Ansolabehere and Sue Mondt (season 2) *'Animation Directors (''The Smurfs): Spike Brandt, Jon McClenahan, Tom Bancroft, Kelly Asbury and Kent Butterworth *'Animation Directors' (Johan and Peewit): Bob Jaques, Gregg Vanzo, Jamie Oliff and Dave Feiss (season 1), Robert Alvarez, Randy Myers, Genndy Tartakovsky and Richard Trueblood (season 2) *'Overseas' Animation Directors: Bob Jaques (Boomerang Animation, Australia), Gregg Vanzo (Rough Draft Korea, season 1), Derek Drymon (The Smurfs) and Genndy Tartakovsky (Johan and Peewit)(Rough Draft Korea, season 2), Dave Feiss (Wang Film Productions) *'Voice Director:' Collette Sunderman Production Animation of the theme sequence is outsourced to Boomerang Animation in Australia, while the majority of episodes are animated at Rough Draft Korea (most of the episodes) and Wang Film Productions (only three episodes). Use of classical music Like the Hanna-Barbera series, The Smurfs make use of classical music as background music or themes for particular events. Notable works found in the series include: *Isaac Albéniz, Suite española, "Asturias" *Johann Sebastian Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, BWV 1047, Allegro moderato *Johann Sebastian Bach, Concerto for harpsichord, strings & continuo No. 5, BWV 1056, Arioso. Largo *Johann Sebastian Bach, Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068, Gavotte *Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 8 (Pathétique), first movement *Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight), third movement. **The above two tunes are frequently used in scenes where the Smurfs are in danger, or which otherwise have a great deal of dramatic tension. *Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 23 (Appassionata), first movement *Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 1, first movement *Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral), first and fourth movements *Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 (Choral), second movement *Hector Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, second movement *Léon Boëllmann, Suite gothique, Toccata *Alexander Borodin, Polovtsian Dances, Fifth Dance: "Dance of the Boys" *Anton Bruckner, Symphony No. 2, third movement *Claude Debussy, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune *Claude Debussy, Prelude Book 2 No. 6, Général Lavine - eccentri *Paul Dukas, The Sorcerer's Apprentice *Edward Elgar, Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 ("Land of Hope and Glory") *Edward Elgar, The Wand of Youth, Suite No. 1 *César Franck, Symphony in D minor, first and second movements *Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt: "Morning Mood" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King" **"Morning Mood" is frequently heard when Mother Nature makes her appearance) *Edvard Grieg, Lyric Suite, "March of the Dwarfs" *Albert Ketèlbey, In a Persian Market *Lev Knipper, Cavalry of the Steppes *Zoltán Kodály, Háry János Suite *Franz Liszt, Piano Concerto No. 1 *Franz Liszt, Totentanz *Franz Liszt, Transcendental étude No. 6, "Vision" *Felix Mendelssohn, Spring Song *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Magic Flute *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 35 in D major, K.385 "Haffner", 4th movement, "The Smurflings" episode. Just a very slowed down version. *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 0 in G minor, K.550, 1st movement, (episode "The Haunted Smurfs") *Modest Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition: Gnomus, Tuileries, Gargamel's theme variation about 1.5 minutes in, and a scene segue part about 10 minutes in, are used in the cartoon. *Modest Mussorgsky, Night on the Bare Mountain *Sergey Prokofiev, Symphony No. 1 ("Classical"): Gavotta *Sergey Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet *Sergey Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf *Sergey Prokofiev, Lieutenant Kijé *Sergey Prokofiev, Scythian Suite *Sergei Rachmaninov, Prelude in G minor *Maurice Ravel, Gaspard de la nuit: Le gibet *Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade *Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, The Snow Maiden: Dance of the Tumblers *Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, The Golden Cockerel *Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Flight of the Bumblebee *Gioachino Rossini, William Tell Overture *Camille Saint-Saëns, Symphony No. 3 ("Organ"), first movement *Franz Schubert: Rosamunde: Ballet Music No. 2 *Franz Schubert: Serenade *Franz Schubert, Symphony No. 8 ("Unfinished"), first movement : Gargamel's theme *Jean Sibelius, Finlandia *Richard Strauss, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche *Igor Stravinsky, The Firebird *Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring *Igor Stravinsky, Petrushka: Russian Dance *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Natha Waltz *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, The Seasons: June, August *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4: Finale (Allegro con fuoco) *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 ("Pathétique"), second theme from first movement. *Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture *Richard Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Overture *Richard Wagner, The Ring Reception The reboot received generally positive reviews among fans. It was mainly praised for being more true to the original Belgian comics, although some elements were borrowed from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon's first two seasons. The Johan and Peewit segments on the other hand, have mixed reception and are not nearly as successful as The Smurfs segments in America, but it is successful overseas in Europe. Trivia * Unlike both the original comics and the 1980s Saturday morning TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, both The Smurfs and Johan and Peewit segments are not connected at all, except for Gargamel (who is also Johan and Peewit's nemesis in this incarnation) appearing in both segments. However, the two segments' main characters could appear together in a one-hour special episode. * The show's new producers and directors are Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone, with Ren and Stimpy animator Bob Camp also serving as director and storyboard artist. In season 2, Rob Renzetti took over as director for the Johan and Peewit segments, resulting in a change of humor. * Unlike the later episodes of the 1980s cartoon show (Seasons 3-9), the Smurflings, Baby Smurf, Grandpa Smurf, Nanny Smurf, Wild Smurf, Puppy and Smoogle are completely absent from the reboot altogether (saddening The Smurfs fans who love the characters, despite the ratings on NBC back in the 1980s). * The storylines and slapstick humor on this show has been updated to be more like the original Belgian comics, while being similar to the Hanna-Barbera cartoon's first two seasons. * Unlike the 1980s Saturday morning TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, this show is storyboard-driven rather than script-driven. * Both two segments have different director and writer units. ** Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone worked on The Smurfs segments, in a mix of the original Belgian comics, MGM's Tom and Jerry shorts-style humor and the Hanna-Barbera cartoon show. The only difference is that the humans' faces are shown, instead of just being seen from the neck down. ** Bob Camp worked on the Johan and Peewit segments, in a mix of the original Belgian comics and Cow and Chicken/''I Am Weasel''-style humor (minus the gross-outs). In season 2, Rob Renzetti and Alex Zamm took over and the segments are now in a mix of the original Belgian comics and Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, My Life as a Teenage Robot, Looney Tunes and Walter Lantz-style humor. * While The Smurfs segments focused more on the slapstick humor, morals and educational values, the Johan and Peewit segments focused more on the slapstick humor and action-packed adventures. * Gargamel appears with his comedic personality from the live-action/CGI duology and Smurfs: The Lost Village. * Hank Azaria repises his role as Gargamel from the live-action/CGI duology. * Monty from Smurfs: The Lost Village is added into the show. * The show is mostly animated at Rough Draft Korea. Also, like the 1980s cartoon, the show is also animated at Wang Film Productions in Taiwan. * All of the 22-minute television specials (and some episodes with the best storylines) were animated exclusively by Boomerang Animation in Australia and Bob Jaques handled the animation direction (allowing them to have a similar animation style to Carbunkle's work on The Baby Huey Show). Even Jaques and Kelly Armstrong participated in animating a few scenes each special. ** Boomerang's work on the show is more expensive than all of the other studios employed for the series. ** The animation done in Australia had subtle nuances and wild animation that could never be done with other overseas studios. * Former H-B animation artist, character designer, layout and background artist and storyboard director, Bob Singer came out of retirement to work on the character and background layouts for the series, while animator Dave Alvarez came in to give the character expressions more personality and depth in comparison to the 1980s cartoon, where they used limited animation. Tropes See /Tropes Category:GrishamAnimationStudios102's ideas Category:Nickelodeon Category:Nickelodeon Animation Studios